Off The GridIron

Chapter 38: Decisions

Saturday February 29th, 1992

5:30am

Kelvin

I sat in my living room in my apartment just thinking, the one thing that was on my mind right now was revenge, getting revenge on the people that put my friend, my lover, my everything in the hospital. The people that put Willie in that hospital bed, it's been a few days since he's been out of the hospital and they thought it'd be best that he came up here with me to Colton. That hour trip was something. I was worried about him the entire time but once we got up here I felt good. I could keep an eye on him and be able to support both of us for the time being.

"Awww shit!" I heard Willie say.

"Willie, you alright? I'm coming to you." I said, getting up and making my way down the hall. "Willie, I'm here. What do you need?"

"Nothing, just need to change these bandages."

"I'll help you."

"Naw dude I got it." He seemed kind of cold towards me.

"Well I'll make you something to eat if you want."

"I said I'm good." His voice rising, I could tell he was upset.

"Alright, well umm... just let me know if you need anything."

"Hey Kelvin I'm sorry man, it's just, I'm not really used to this, I mean yeah I've been shot at before and beat down, but just not striking back, man I don't know what to do, I'm pissed, I'm angry, I'm frustrated!" He told me, I could see it in his face too.

"I know, you don't think i feel the same way, you don't think i felt the same way when Free shot me on that field a few years back? I wanted to get revenge and if those cops hadn't killed him on that field then as soon as i got out of Camp Kilpatrick i would have most likely got revenge on that nigga." I told him. "Look after I got shot you were there for me and I'm forever grateful for that, so let me be here for you." I told him, giving him a kiss on the forehead.

I helped him change his bandages, the doctor said he'd have to be on bed rest for about 3 weeks to a month, and i told the doctor i'd take him up to Colton with me, i let his boss Evan know too so Willie didn't get in trouble with him, i gave him my home phone number and he's been calling every 2 days or so to just check in on him. After i finished helping him with his bandages i made him breakfast so he could keep his strength up, then we listened to music over the next hour or so before i headed to work, i had to be there between 7:00am and 7:30am.

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7:15am

Willie

"Alright call me if you need anything 88." Kelvin said winking and smiling. It was a lot going through my mind, revenge, i'm sure it's going through Kelvin's mind too but I'm tired, this has been draining both mentally and physically. It's sad how some people just live to make others miserable in life. I turned the TV on the Prevue Guide (TV Guide) channel to see what was on, but it wasn't much on so I turned the TV off and turned the radio on to 88.5 The Heat. I'm surprised we could get coverage from the station out here, but the radio towers they have in between the 2 cities & surrounding counties are pretty tall. Anyway I was listening to EPMD - You Gots to chill. It's hard to believe that song came out over 4 years ago. I hated being cooped up in this place, not getting out, I'm so pissed at times that I don't know what to do. As I was in my thoughts i heard a knock on the door, then i heard it again.

"Who is it?" I said, struggling to get up "Hold on." I walked over to the door and opened it.

"Oh hey, I'm Stephan." The person said. "I'm a friend of Kelvin's. He told me to stop by this morning but i think i got the wrong apartment." He said.

"Well why would he tell you that if he went to work around 7:00am?"

"He told me to stop by to check on a friend of his, named Willie." He told me.

"Well i'm Willie....What's up?"

"So you're Willie....the Willie Weathers?" He asked.

"Yeah....i guess I am, you're treating me like a celebrity or something." I said laughing. "I'm just a regular everyday person like you are."

"True but the way Kelvin has been talking about you man, like you're a celebrity. He really cares about you from how he talks about you though." Stephan said. "He talks about you a lot. Can I come in?"

"Yeah." I said. I let him in and closed the door behind me.

"So how are you feeling?"

"Like shit!" I said, being honest. "It's hard to move at times, Kelvin said he wanted me up here with him for a few weeks while I recover." I told him. "To be honest i'm worried about that dude, i feel like he might try to take justice into his own hands and i don't want to see anything happen to him. He's a smart person, a talented person, someone with a future in front of him and i don't want him to ruin that on account of me." I said.

"Wow that's something, y'all really care for each other and that's a good thing, that's rare, especially nowadays." He said. "I'm glad y'all be thinking about each other like that."

"Yeah, that man over the past year or so, to be honest he's been my everything." I said, being honest.

"I know for a fact he is feeling the same way about you as well, like I said he really is going on about you." He said.

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12:00pm

Leon

"Well What's going on? Luther, what's going on with Darren?"

"Well the good thing is he might be put away for a long time, now the second thing that we need to worry about is C-Co and his boys. I heard about what they did to Willie and it was wrong. Now The good thing about this is that there were plenty of witnesses to see C-Co try to Gun Down Willie." He said.

"And right now they're in jail and from the looks of it there might be a trial and if that's the case then there's going to be people to testify against them. Now all we have to do is keep Willie where he is for now And then when the trial begins we will bring him back down." I told him. "But you know what Luther, let's be realistic about this, we know how the streets are and there will most likely be no trial, they'll be retaliation yeah but there'll be no trial will be lucky if we make it to a trial."

"Yeah you're right. So what I'm going to do is have more people patrolling your area as well as other areas. This right here is some messed up stuff for real."

"I know but what can you do other than survive?"

"Yeah man you're right about that there's not much you can do other than survive. Anyway, how's Chris doing?"

"He's doing all right taking things one day at a time. me and him went out to a movie the other night and I treated him to dinner.

"Well that's good as long as he's doing all right, well as long as you all are doing all right that's all that matters."

"Alright I appreciate it man, for real. Well I'll talk to you later on."

This whole shit has been crazy, from my dealings with Darren Wilkins to Willie's dealings with C-Co, seems like when all of us try to find peace the shit stirrers come out of nowhere to stir shit up. People we care about getting hit from all sides and it has to be taken care of. I sat on the couch thinking to myself what could happen next. It's like this is the calm before the storm. It was so much on my mind I decided to turn the television on to see what was on, i was scrolling through the channels then i came across KNBC and it was a special news bulletin.

"Hello this is Melissa Sanchez with KMBC and there's a special News Bulletin about 20 minutes ago there was a murder at the LA City jail, reports are saying that 18 year old Donald Madlock has killed a another inmate, early reports are saying that it was fellow inmate Darren Wilkins, Now police aren't sure what led to the Fatal incident but they said it Happened to this being transferred to another facility and Donald Madlock is currently on the loose he is considered armed and dangerous is so be aware & cautious......" As the news reporter kept reporting the story I just shook my head because it seems like everything is going from bad to worse. everybody has been making DECISIONS and i guess Donald done made his.

End of Chapter 38